Chapter 3: Hostages

A/N: Sorry that it took me so long to come up with a new chapter but I haven't had much time lately neither has my beta-reader. I hope the long waiting was worth it, enjoy and let me know what you think!

"Looks like we got these things of you right in time." Commented Captain Archer after watching the communicators being beamed away. Kira closed her eyes, she couldn't believe that this was happening, she felt like swearing but watched her mouth because she didn't want to worse their situation. Dax kept calm and observed Archer who sat relaxed behind his desk. The two women had been brought into the captain's briefing room. Major Reed and another security guard stood at the door, the only exit. There was another person in this room, a vulcan woman who was wearing a science officer's uniform with commander stripes. If she had to guess Jadzia would assume this was the first officer of this vessel. It had taken her some time but at that moment she came to the awareness why those names Archer, Reed, Mayweather sounded too familiar to her. She had heard these names before at Starfleet-Academy when she had dealt with the history of the Federation. When she remembered correctly they were dealing with the crew of the Enterprise NX-01 here. This woman had to be Commander T'Pol who in deed was the first officer. But there was one thing that worried her: These people weren't exactly behaving like she would have expected them to from what she was told at the academy. In fact they acted directly opposed. She didn't get the time to think about this matter any more because Archer started his questioning: "You said this is the 24th century? Do you expect me to believe that?"

"Yes, because it is true!" Replied Major Kira. "You've seen our communicators and phasers."

"Yes, I have but that doesn't prove anything, so why don't you two just tell me who you are working for? What species are you anyway? Never seen anyone like you."

"I'm Bajoran and Commander Dax is Trill." Answered Kira. "We are senior officers of Deep Space Nine, the station you should hail, they'll confirm what we say." He ignored her suggestion completely and went on:

"I've never even heard of those species either."

"That's no surprise. It'll take Earth at least another fifty years until they make first contact with the Trill home world, not even to mention Bajor, that'll take another century." Noted Dax who was much more familiar with Federation history than Kira. She didn't intent to say at first what she then added but figured that it couldn't hurt: "It still would be interesting to know what knowledge of history you have got. This may be a star ship from the 23rd century but as far as I know all of you lived in the 22nd century." Everyone starred at her, even Kira was surprised but she figured Jadzia knew that, because these were important people from Starfleet history of which the Bajoran Major had no idea. Anyway Archer didn't take it that easy:

"How do you know that?!" He nearly yelled and got to his feet taking position right in front of her.

"Every Starfleet cadet had to take a course in Starfleet history at the academy." She informed him as calm and controlled as before, she wasn't impressed by his yelling. Kira sometimes envied her for that calmness, if the major had been in her position she would have given that guy an answer he wouldn't like very much. At that moment they were interrupted because the voice of the ship's helmsman came through the intercom informing the captain that they were being hailed by the space station.

"Tell them they'll have to wait." Shouted Archer in anger, his glace still focused on Jadzia in front of him.

"They demand to talk to you now." Replied Mayweather. The captain thought for a second considering if it was wise to refuse to talk to them since he didn't know how heavy this station was armed. If these officers had been telling him the truth all along he could be facing an enemy who's technology was superior to his, he didn't want to risk a confrontation but he wasn't willing to let these women go that easily either. Because on the other hand if they were truthful they might be of great use for him. In the end he didn't see a reason why not to talk to them because if it came to a confrontation he'd have the hostages.

"Alright then." He mumbled angrily. "And you two will be with me!" Major Kira and Commander Dax followed him onto the main bridge not daring to make any wrong movements because the security men were right behind them. "On screen." Ordered the Captain. The next moment Captain Sisko appeared on the view screen.

"Identify yourself!" He demanded immediately. Jadzia noticed how the tensed expression on his face eased a little when he noticed them there alive and obviously not wounded. Archer seemed a little less aggressive now than he had been before, he was pleased to see that there were humans on that station.

"I'm Jonathan Archer. Captain of the Flagship Defiant of the Terran Empire." He said and walked over to the command chair and sat down before continuing. "And I assume you're in command of that station. You're their superior, eh?" He nodded in the direction of the DS9 officers who had their glace focused at Sisko but without saying anything.

"Yes I am. I'm Captain Benjamin Sisko of the United Federation of Planets. Why are you holding my officers?!" Replied the captain.

"United Federation of Planets?" Archer repeated slowly. "Now I see what this is all about…"

"What do you mean?" Benjamin wanted to know. He ignored his question and asked instate:

"Would you be so kind to tell me today's date?"

"I don't know what purpose this serves but it's the 7.1.2372."

"Well, somehow I've got the feeling I'm in the wrong universe here." Announced Archer then folding his hands. He looked at the captain waiting for him to respond to that.

"You mean this is an alternate universe for you." Sisko concluded. He turned his glance to Kira and Dax on the view screen, he wanted his science officer to confirm that this was a possibility so he called her name, eyeing her questioningly.

"Well it's at least possible…" Said Dax slowly, then she added. "Since this crew surely isn't behaving like told in the history books I suggest to take it into consideration."

"Alright then." Benjamin nodded. "Lower your shields so that we can beam our officers out. I promise we will be helping you to find a way back to your own universe and time." The Defiant's captain started to smile, neither Kira and Dax nor Sisko could tell what this was supposed to mean, gratefulness or sneer, but his next words made very clear which one.

"You know Captain, to me this whole universe of yours is a big joke. Mankind, joining a federation in which all species are equal. We humans are destined to rule this galaxy, don't you see that? I guess you consider yourself a great leader, a hero, but let me tell you something." He rose from his seat again while saying this. "Great heroes are no peacemakers, they are conquerors! You're a traitor to human race, betraying our destiny! Do you think I'll except a traitor's offer? What do you think do I need your help for if I got two of your officers?!" DS9's commanding officer had heard enough to figure this was really the mirror universe's Captain Archer and he interrupted him, there was no way he would let him get away with assaulting and kidnapping his officers!

"Let them go immediately or I'll…"

"You'll do what, Captain. You'll take them with force by firing at the ship perhaps? I doubt you'll dare to sat your precious officers at risk!" Archer laughed and ordered. "Major Reed, escort our 'guests' to the brig, I don't want them hurt, not yet, they could prove very useful."

"Let's go!" Said Reed to the two of them and stepped accompanied by three of his men near to them, threatening them with weapons. Neither Nerys nor Jadzia wanted to play this game any further, they jumped around hitting the guard's phase-pistols out of their hands who haven't been expecting any trouble. The Trill hit one of them right into the face and made him fall with a well placed kick to pull his legs away under him. The Major who was attacked by another guard kicked him with her knee in the stomach, hit her elbow against his head and threw him across her shoulder onto the ground. Both women were excellent educated at hand-to-hand-combat, non of the guards had much of a chance against them alone. Jadzia would have given everything for a Bat'leth right about now, in that case she would have put an end to this already. Benjamin watched the scene helplessly and could only hope that the two of them would win this fight. Archer shouted at the security guards to put an end to this without hurting them seriously because he still needed them. Suddenly the captain of Deep Space Nine noticed one of the guards pulling out a weapon while Kira and Dax were still busy with the others. The bajoran major turned one guard's arm around forcing him to his knees while blocking another's punch with her forearm when she heard her superior's voice calling her name. But before she could turn her head towards the view screen she was hit by a phaser and lost consciousness immediately. Meanwhile her friend hit another one of his feet and noticed worriedly Kira had fallen to the ground. But still she couldn't risk to find out what had happened.

"Dax, watch out, behind you!" She heard Sisko yelling. Dax was able to jump around to see what he meant but not fast enough to prevent it from happening and fell to the ground next to Nerys, unconscious just like her. The Defiant's captain shouted at the security men calling them incapable idiots because it took them so long to win a fight with two women. The other captain baled his hands to fists, he could do nothing but watch his officers being brought away. Archer returned his glance to the view screen.

"Is there anything left we have to discuss? Because I'd like to get going." He wanted to know with a triumphantly grin on his face.

"I already told you, I want my officers back!" His opposite nearly yelled hitting his fist onto the control table in front of him.

"Easy." Grinned Archer. "You don't want me to hurt them just because you couldn't behave yourself, do you?" Benjamin pressed his lips together forcing himself into control.

"What do you want?"

"I already got what I want." Replied the captain sitting back in the command chair. The other one couldn't believe that this was happening, he was about to loose two of his senior officers because of some captain from the mirror universe who lived two hundred years ago! He needed to get them of that ship, if he did he could attack them but all he could do now was to negotiate.

"Alright, if you let them go I'll give you all ships this station has got, three runabouts with the technology of the 24th century, you'll find them really useful, I assure you!" Said Sisko then. The Defiant's captain seamed to take it into consideration for a short moment but responded.

"A generous offer, Captain. The two of them seem to mean a lot to you. I can't blame you, they are quite something for the eyes, but I think I'll keep them. I need their knowledge and I think my crew needs some entertainment, I'm pretty sure they'll find a way to keep themselves 'entertained' with them." Then he closed the channel. The view screen on DS9 went black, Benjamin again hit his fist on the control table, he felt like screaming but knew better than that.

"They are powering their engines." Reported Chief O'Brien the next moment.

"We need to do something now!" Odo said forcefully.

"Target their shield generators, when their shields are weakened, beam me over, I'll make damn sure, the Major and Dax will be returned to us!" Ordered Sisko angrily.

"Aye Sir." Replied Miles activating the station's weapons. But the security chief disagreed with the plan.

"With all due respect Captain, I think you're the wrong choice for this mission, I should be going. Nothing personal, it's just that a human is much easier to deal with than a shape shifter. And after all the station needs a commanding officer, you aren't dispensable here at the moment." Explained the changeling.

"You're right, Constable." Admitted the captain.

"Then you should better get onto the transporter platform. They are departing from the station at full impulse and are powering their warp drive. Not long until they are out of transporter range." Said the chief. "I targeted their shield generators…"

"Fire!" Sisko ordered while Odo hurried to the transporter.

"Direct hit!" He reported a second later. "Their shields are down, energizing!"

TBC